A Good Day to Be In (a) Revolution

Written by Caroline / 08 January 2009 / Read Caroline's latest blog entries.

We are just driving into Hyderabad, and I'm glad that I'm sitting in "Revolution," our beautiful white Reva covered in images of causes, impacts, and solutions to climate change -- messges of how to take the world with us on the road to 350. Anyway, Abishek and I just got the message from our Solar Punch Buggy (the van covered in solar panels that is the primary transport for Solar Punch - our solar band) that there is a diesel strike in all of Hyderabad.

This explains why there have been so few trucks on the road today - we've seen more parked on the side than driving; explains why there's really hardly any traffic at all. We were told this morning it's a truck strice against the price of diesel and petrol, but really it's a citywide diesel strike! All of the gas stations are closed in the city, people protesting the rising cost of diesel. We agree! It is too high! It's too high to continue building our infrastructure, our automobiles, and our economies on petroleum products. It's an opportunity that this moment in history has to seize! There can be a revolution in automaking if key decision makers set standards for the reinvented auto industry that allow us to have zero carbon sustainable mobility.

We have the chance to reinvent the global auto industry as automakers all over the world face a major crisis, while we face a global climate crisis that all of us must address if we are to maintain a climate fit for our survival. We conduct this road tour of hope to present a wake up call to consumers and policy makers across the world to drive change e by reinventing the global auto industry. This chance for change cannot be missed, if we are to protect our global economy environment and future. Globally, transportation contributes more than 13.1 percent of CO2 emissions, and is one of the biggest factors in local air pollution issue in Indian cities. India's rapid rate of growth in vehicle use, economic growth and potential for innovation, mean that India is and must be a change driver.

Dr. RK Pachauri, Director General of The Energy & Resources Institute and Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said, "The transport sector requires major and urgent change. The automakers, engineers and academics have enormous capabilities in bringing about massive innovation in transportation technologies. The time to do that is now. I hope that this tour will not only lead to a change in driving patterns but will also drive change across the world as far as transportation is concerned."

The drive2change tour across Incredible India was originally envisioned by Caroline Howe and Alexis Ringwald, both Yale graduates and residents of India, and is now implemented by the Indian Youth Climate Network, partnering with Moser Baer, Freeplay Technologies, and Infosys. The tour started on January 3rd, 2009 from Chennai, and is being undertaken in high performance solar-integrated Revas. The caravan is supported by international alternative fuel vehicles, as well as a solar band, to reiterate the message that climate solutions exist around the world. The climate caravan will wind its way over 3500km through 15 major cities, driving across India to gather voices, listening to Indian perspectives on climate change, documenting Indian climate solutions, and supporting young climate leaders who are ready to BE the change. The rally will end in India's capital, New Delhi on February 4^th, a city adding 1,000 cars to the streets every single day, with a grand finale highlighting transportation alternatives for the city, from Revas to the metro, bicycles to buses.

Caroline Howe, Coordinator of the Drive2Change and our climate solutions road tour says, "There is one solution that can tackle the twin crises of the global auto industry and the global environment. Consumers, innovators and decision makers in developed nations must reinvent the auto industry to create vehicles that run not on polluting fossil fuels, but on clean energy. Technological solutions already exist for sustainable mobility, and the policy makers must take this historic opportunity to implement policy to support this technology, alleviate both crises and create millions of new green jobs. 2009 must be a year of change."

Our historical journey, will be the longest electric car caravan in India and the longest joint tour of multiple 'market ready' and 'solar-supported' electric cars worldwide. By traveling more than 150 kilometers on a single charge and 3500 km in a single month, the group aims to demonstrate that low impact transportation solutions do exist, even when pushed beyond city driving. While using existing electricity infrastructure for car charging every 150 kilometers in a country with limited electricity supply is a challenge, most vehicles around the world actually travel much less. 70 percent of cars worldwide being driven in urban areas, about 60 percent of which drive less than 80 kilometers per day. More than half of all automobile trips worldwide are less than 5 kilometers. These short distance trips can easily be replaced by market-ready electric vehicles.

According to Alexis Ringwald, a solar entrepreneur with Valence Energy and coordinator of the road tour, "Just as oil companies are beginning to re-invent themselves as energy companies with entry into renewable energy, so too do auto companies need to transform into mobility companies, offering clean solutions for movement for a 6.5 billion global population."

History confirms that the powerful partnership of consumer demand and supporting policies is unstoppable.  Global decision makers must seize the opportunity to support the reinvention of  the  auto industry today  to halt climate change and while saving the automobile industry and creating millions of new green jobs. Enacting a powerful new years resolution, our Drive2Change will show the world that a new world is just around the corner - if we want it.

We drove a total of 173 kilometers in our cars yesterday, without recharging, and had average of 25 percent remaining in each battery! This is an incredible achievement! I am proud to be part of a revolution in automotive engineering, especially at this time when so many in the auto industry are looking for a transformation, are looking for hope in a auto crisis in key companies and countries. I hope that all of those employed by Reva, residents of Bangalore, residents of India, global citizens, are equally proud of what has been accomplished, as we continue to show the world what is possible when innovators push the limits, when policy makers support such innovation, and when consumers recognize that it is time to change the world and to be the change - to be the solution.

We must continue to Drive2Change - driving change and celebrating change drivers!